Royal Purple

Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Griffin

Stroik

Several UW-Whitewater alumni have pursued successful careers in theater once their time here has been completed.

After graduating from UW-Whitewater in 2007 with a degree in theater performance, Sara Griffin obtained a job with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater as their administrative assistant. She also acts as the staff liaison between the Board of Trustees, and to their volunteer organization, The Friends of the Rep.

"I do a little bit of everything," Griffin said.

Although she doesn't get to spend her time at work on the stage, Griffin says there are plenty of other perks to the job.

"I get to meet the actors, directors, and designers on the first day of rehearsal at our company gathering to start off the new show," she said.

While still a student at UW-Whitewater, Griffin became a member of the theater honorary fraternity, Theta Alpha Phi. She was also in 11 main stage shows.

When not at her job, Griffin still auditions for shows around the Milwaukee area.

Todd Stroik, who received a degree in theater performance in 2002, currently works for the Walt Disney World Franchise. He works aboard the cruise ship "The Disney Wonder," which takes three to four-day cruises to the Caribbean. Ports along the way include Cape Canaveral, Nassau and Castaway Cay. He performs for 10 months out of the year and then vacations the rest of the time.

"I got the job by attending auditions in New York City in the theater district," Stroik said.

Stroik performs in three different main stage acts, performing twice per night. He plays Tarzan in the play, "The Golden Mickeys," Green Army Man and Baby Head in the new play "Toy Story the Musical," and Sebastian in "Disney Dreams."

"The best part of the job is performing in Broadway caliper shows that really excite our wonderful audiences," Stroik said.

Stroik's career with Disney started almost 10 years ago, when he worked at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom playing a variety of characters. After a break from the company for several years, he always hoped to go back and work for the company professionally.

"[Since graduation], I have done so much amazing work and played a vast array of characters that any actor would be proud to add to his resume," Stroik said.

He feels lucky to have picked UW-Whitewater as his school of choice, since he received one-on-one attention that really prepared him for theater after college. All four years at UW-Whitewater, Stroik was involved in the theater department and spent a semester in London studying the arts. He was vice president of Theta Alpha Phi and performed in such plays as "Romeo and Juliet" and "California Suite.

Since leaving UW-Whitewater, "life has really been a dream come true," Stroik said.

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